I'm going to be late watching a recording as I am going out this evening. What a time to go away on holiday! Away tomorrow for a week;will be dodging into pubs etc to try and watch Andy. Hope the hotel has wi-fi.

Lopez coming into the net so often, hopefully Andy will be able to use his passing shots to pick Lopez of at will. Come on Andy. If Andy chooses to use it he has more power and accuracy in his game than Lopez. I would be surprised at anything other than a comfortable victory. Head to Head- statistics do not lie.

Interesting quote from Lopez in Guardian which almost suggests he's already given up, having reflected on how resoundingly Andy beat him previous year at USO and also at Wimbledon he finishes 'I just hope to play much better. It is only one year ago so I don't think that anything has changed that much'. He also said some nice things about Andy and his family in response to questioning about Judy's penchant for him, quoted in Independent: ' I'm a big fan of her as well. I have told her that. Judy is a great person and Andy and Jamie are also great guys. I know everybody has been joking about Judy and me, but we are good friends and I admire her personality and her charisma'. Now that sounds like a really nice guy. Actually when I saw him play at Queens I didn't think he looked as deliciano as on tv as it's the eyes that do it really. Andy points out that he can be tricky to play and conditions could be difficult + will be first time Andy has played on LA this year so I agree he might take a bit of time to settle down. But if he plays like he did against Dodig I can't see there be any problems.

You know, I might actually engage my brain and get Andy's form against Lopez right in a minute . He has dropped one set to Lopez in six meetings - there, got it now .

I think Andy is wise to be cautious, I think none of us would really take anything for granted, but I just think Andy has the edge. I'm thinking the first set might go on serve for a while, but then I can see Andy relaxing and getting a grip on the match. I think it will be interesting to see how Andy's game compares with Lopez now, because I think Andy is playing with more conviction now than ever before.

Yes tj although it's longer than the version printed in the paper today and incorporates the bit that bbh quoted last night as well as the quote from Lopez about Judy that was in the INdependent [they all get their quotes from the same press conferences though sometimes they are written up as if an exclusive interview!] so it's better than the version in the newspaper itself.

I just thought I'd post the bit from the Guardian I particularly liked. It would be interesting to know what some of you think.

Since Ivan Lendl came on board in January, he has given expression to aggression and power that plainly had been lying dormant beneath his outstanding defensive game, as if he were almost scared of his own talent.

Those reservations have been peeled away, tournament by tournament. As Jim Courier remarked recently: "If I had a forehand like that, I'd play it as often as possible." Now Murray does. It has become his go-to killer shot, although he has not abandoned the baseline game that drives opponents to distraction and his backhand slice remains one of the most nagging point-savers on the tour.

Not bad is it? I even think that point about Andy having been scared of his own talent is a good point. I'd never thought of it before, but it makes some sense.

I just thought I'd post the bit from the Guardian I particularly liked. It would be interesting to know what some of you think.

Since Ivan Lendl came on board in January, he has given expression to aggression and power that plainly had been lying dormant beneath his outstanding defensive game, as if he were almost scared of his own talent.

Those reservations have been peeled away, tournament by tournament. As Jim Courier remarked recently: "If I had a forehand like that, I'd play it as often as possible." Now Murray does. It has become his go-to killer shot, although he has not abandoned the baseline game that drives opponents to distraction and his backhand slice remains one of the most nagging point-savers on the tour.

Not bad is it? I even think that point about Andy having been scared of his own talent is a good point. I'd never thought of it before, but it makes some sense.

Yes I liked it too tj but I think you'll find bbh has already posted the same quote

Great bit that teejay. Andy's forehand is one of the best at the moment, if not the best when he is in the zone. Used to drive me to distraction to see the forehand shot clatter into the net, time after time!